| Books: Recommended reading is something I do here from time to time. The process of being an artist must expand further than "tips and techniques" books within our medium. For they are just about medium, meaning they are neither "rare nor well done". Reading books that break your preconceived notions, that lead you to places you never had the nerve to dream of, is the best way of opening your mind. This will make you a better artist for you will realize that all the self censorship you do to yourself is nothing when compared to how some authors reveal themselves to us. | |||||
 4/28/2015:
My copy of "My Mother - Myself" came in today. My first published
short story "Saying Solly" is on page 80. In the back there are
write-ups about all the writers and they left out one of my
grandsons. I have four grandsons and one granddaughter. This collection of short stories will be available at Amazon in a couple of months but if you want to order a copy before Mother's Day you can purchase a copy at... http://www.mymother-myself.com/ All the contributors in this collection of short stories have donated their work. For me it is in memory of Edy Henderson, who passed away before she was able to see this book come to fruition. We all know she's whispering "It's about time..." since it took 8 years. 3/21/16: Read "Saying Solly" here in the Bonsai Trailer Court. |
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 http://kirstenweiss.com/
Kirsten Weiss is the author of the Riga Hayworth series of
paranormal mystery novels and the steampunk/suspense novel, Steam
and Sensibility. Her books are available on Amazon, Barnes &
The Metaphysical Detective: A Riga Hayworth Mystery Prequel It was this book that got me started with Kirsten Weiss books. Set in San Francisco, filled with murder, magic, and myth. I was remiss in not adding the cover and a link to Amazon. |
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 When
Graveyards Yawn By G. Wells Taylor. I've been loving this story since
2013. Amazon Blurb "When the Change came, people stopped aging, the dead
rose from their graves, it started raining and it’s been raining ever
since. But a guy's still got to make a living doesn't he?MURDER IS STILL MURDER IN GREASETOWN - A dead lawyer enters the office of Wildclown Investigations and hires the detective to find his killer. Wildclown and his dead sidekick Elmo soon find themselves entangled in a battle for control of a secret that offers either hope or doom for humanity. WHEN GRAVEYARDS YAWN takes the reader to a unique setting that mixes gothic horror with the two-fisted pragmatism of a hard-boiled detective novel." He can be found at https://gwellstaylor.com/ |
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 Frank
Herbert’s classic masterpiece—a triumph of the imagination and one
of the bestselling science fiction novels of all time. Click the
book cover or the
DUNE link for more information if for some reason you don't know
what this book is all about. For my birthday of 2020 I completed my collection, as best as I could figure, for all of the DUNE saga books written by Brian Herbert (Frank's son) and Kevin J Anderson. I used a list from Wikipedia as a guide. My intention is to work through these dozen or so books I have yet to read before the new DUNE movie is released, which will only cover the first half of the original DUNE book, the one shown here. This book was the 4th book of 7 for a Facebook book challenge. |
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 Jonathan
Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke In the midst of the Napoleonic Wars in 1806, most people believe magic to have long since disappeared from England - until the reclusive Mr. Norrell reveals his powers and becomes an overnight celebrity. Another practicing magician then emerges: the young and daring Jonathan Strange. He becomes Norrell's pupil, and the two join forces in the war against France. But Strange is increasingly drawn to the wild, most perilous forms of magic, and he soon risks sacrificing his partnership with Norrell and everything else he holds dear. Susanna Clarke's brilliant first novel is an utterly compelling epic tale of nineteenth-century England and the two magicians who, first as teacher and pupil and then as rivals, emerge to change its history. |
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 First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson's
The Haunting of
Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It
is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly
pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for
solid evidence of a "haunting"; Theodora, his lighthearted
assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well
acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill
House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky
encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering
its powers—and soon it will choose one of them to make its own. |
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 New
Cthulhu 2 More Recent Weirdby Elizabeth Bear (Author), John Langan (Author), Sarah Monette (Author), Charles Stross (Author), Paula Guran (Editor) Many of the best weird fiction writers (and creators in most other media) have been profoundly influenced by the genre and the mythos H.P. Lovecraft created eight decades ago. Lovecraft's themes of cosmic indifference, minds invaded by the alien, and the horrors of history—written with a pervasive atmosphere of unexplainable dread—are more relevant than ever as we explore the mysteries of a universe in which our planet is infinitesimal and climatic change is overwhelming it. A few years ago, New Cthulhu : The Recent Weird presented some of the best of this new Lovecraftian fiction from the first decade of the twenty-first century. Now, New Cthulhu 2: More Recent Weird brings you more eldritch tales and even fresher fiction inspired by Lovecraft. |
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 There
are some advantages to being on FaceBook and being added as a
"friend" by a favorite author. Today
John
Shirley posted that he'd be at
The BrainWash Cafe in San Francisco (Folsom between 7th and
8th St.) and he would be handing out free copies of these two books,
signed.
My sister came by after work and I asked (begged) her to drive me downtown so I could meet John Shirley (and his lovely wife Micky) and get these books. I gave him a covered tin and her a necklace. I'll find pictures of those in a bit. |
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 The original CyberPunk John Shirley: City Comes A-Walking. He inspired William Gibson and Bruce Sterling. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Shirley |
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http://www.amazon.com/Anansi-Boys-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0060515198/ What can't Neil Gaiman do? He writes poems, prose, screen plays, graphic novels. Does he tap dance? I wonder sometimes. "Anansi Boys" is the next book I'm reading by Neil Gaiman. To list all of the ones I have read would take up too much space. I recommend anything he does, even tap dancing, should he deem it an interesting thing to do. Why I didn't add him earlier was just grave oversight. |
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 George
Alec Effinger: When Gravity Fails "This is the fourth or fifth time
I've been asked to give a public comment on an Effinger book; and each time
I've done it; and each time I've said you people are cheating yourselves if
you don't forego food and rent to pick up on Effinger's work. Now, *this*
time, will you for pete's sake listen to me and buy When Gravity Fails? It's
as crazy as a spider on ice skates, plain old terrific; and if you don't pay
attention I'll have to get tough with you! We have your childen and your
dog. Buy, read and marvel...or else."-- Harlan Ellison on When Gravity Fails |
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 K.W.
Jeter - Noir: "The book is set in the Pacific Fringe – the only
remaining industrialised part of the world – in a society where free market
capitalism holds absolute sway. Even the dead, including the hero's wife,
can be brought back to life as slave labour if they fail to meet their
financial obligations. The internet has evolved radically so that emails can
be seen fluttering around the recipient and pestering for attention, while
strange online sexual experiences can be had through electronic surrogates
called prowlers." |
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Tim Powers
Last Call |
 Expiration Date |
 Earthquake Weather |
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 05-20-09:
I just found out that Dr.
Leonard Shlain passed away on May 11th. That makes me sad. He wrote
The Alphabet vs The Goddess.
ISBN # 0-670-47883-9,
which I wrote a
ramble about. He was also a pioneer in
the use of laparoscopic surgery, which saved me from a bigger scar.
Here's the Wiki about
him. His daughter, Tiffany, is the founder of the
Webby Awards. There
are a few famous people I mourn when they die, Dr. Shlain is one of them.
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 04-01-09:
Books on anatomy that I have at my worktable.
This is a continuation of the sculpting discussion going on at CITY-o-Clay. |
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01-05-08 Links and ISBN#s added. These books
changed the wrinkles in my brain.
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 Links go to the "Runagate-Rampant" web section. |
Books by CHINA MIÉVILLE
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Update: We were able to get "The City and The City" in paperback and we read it and were delighted. China Mieville makes effort to write in different genre and this was his "Detective" genre, with his own bit of weird fiction thrown in. I LOVE film noir movies and old time detective novels, like those written by Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammet, so this book "The City and The City" was right up that dark, rain soaked, foggy alley. http://www.amazon.com/City-China-Mieville/dp/0345497511 |
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You Got to read this book, by
Max Barry
Jennifer Government, ISBN# 1-4000-3092-7 Links go to Max Barry's website. |
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 08/30/07:
A shout out to the three creative writing students met
at Borders this evening. Should have written your names down I've totally
forgot.
To the right is Un Lun Dun, the book we were discussing. I'll load up some more reading suggestions this Labor Day Week End, a labor of love.
Suggested authors and the books that come first to mind. I read everything an author writes if I like one of the works. I'm fond of the dystopian future where governments are pretty much moot next to multinational corporations. Mix that with inexplicable weather, a random Cthulhu monster and I'm all good. Remember what we were talking about... certain works are so unique, so new, it's a life experience. Our brains change with the reading of these works; the words carving new wrinkles in our grey matter. |
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 Jeff
Noon: Vert and Pollen; the altered consciousness caused by the drug on the
feather actually open a rift between dimensions, got to read both books to see
how. Some images that remain is a pair of lovers who wove their dred locks
together, that sort of love got to end tragic. The living and the dead can
reproduce and produce a halfling of sorts. New world these books, new
creatures and possibilities. |
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 Paul Neilan: Apathy; he has a blog. His first novel and he's delightfully cracked. He was recommended by Max Barry, and that's a big deal. "The best book you'll read in years, the funniest novel ever. If you don't love it, there's something wrong with you, and if you do, there's also something wrong with you - but you won't care." Buy his book and allow him to write more. |
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 Dhalgren,
"Samuel R. Delany’s masterwork, which in 1975 opened a new door for what
science fiction could mean. A labyrinth of a novel, it raises questions
about race, sexuality, identity, and art, but gives no easy answers, in a
city that reshapes itself with each step you take." quote from Amazon.Thought I'd add this since we were talking about it at the 2019 NaNoWriMo Kick-Off party on 10-21-19. |
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 This
is the three novel set I was speaking about and I couldn't remember all
the titles. Volume One: Babel-17, Nova, and Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand |
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 Jack Wokack: Ambient, Heathern, Elvissy, Random Acts of Senseless Violence, Let's put the future behind us "An information-dense, battering-ram English...that evokes and commands constant action.. Look for sequels. They will be loud and feral, and they'll fizz." The Washington Post Book World on "Terraplane". Quotes that comes to mind are the commands "Ciggarette me" and "Newspaper me". Image that comes to mind are the duel to the death business deals, gladiator style. |
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 William Browning Spencer: Resume With Monsters; It has a Lovecraft feel to the monsters. Here's the wiki for him.
From Publishers Weekly on Amazon |
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 Steve Erickson: Anything... Amnesiascope, Days Between Stations, Rubicon Beach; http://www.steveerickson.org/ LA is the location, the time near future that's broken, multiple time zones in LA, rings of fire no one seems to put out, sand storms that bury apartments. Nothing is explained, it's just the environment the characters have to function in. |
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 Speaking of
William Gibson
I'm just finishing up his new work,
Spook Country
(spooks as in spies). Compared to the cyberpunk trilogy of
Neromancer,
Count Zero and
Mona Lisa Overdrive, it's Gibson-lite. His later works are not as jam packed
with gizmos, more character development, female pov in this one and in
Pattern
Recognition. I've not read a bad book by him ever.
 Update: Read the third in the trilogy that started with Pattern Recognition and Spook Country: Zero History It was great fun to run into characters who were established in the first two novels. One does become attached to even the "bad guys" and as always Gibson does not disappoint. |
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 Oh
how can I forget...
Cory Doctorow: Over
Clocked, Down and out in the Magic Kingdom, Someone comes to town, Someone
leaves town (where the parents of the protagonist is a mountain and a washing
machine... yeah, you got to read this), Eastern Standard Tribe. He's as fresh
as tomorrow. The computer culture dream weaver, capturing our humanity through
our tech. I read a few pages of one of his works and them bought five titles
in one shot. The family has loved him, the books have been passed around with
glee. |
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 Jon Armstrong: Grey, just out 2007 "Jon Armstrong's debut novel puts a fresh suit of stylish clothes on the beloved body of cyberpunk, skewering high fashion, consumerism, and... the public fascination with celebrities.." Locus Magazine "Grey is a truly extraordinary and original work -- a deft and raucous mash-up of William Gibson and J.D. Salinger by way of Fellini. It'll change our outlook, your brain chemistry, and your wardrobe." Catherynne M. Valente, Author of The Orphan's Tales |
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Harlan Ellison
http://harlanellison.com/typewriter.html You may have read something Harlan Ellison wrote or saw a movie that was made from one of his books, or saw a movie where he wrote the screen play. Since the 1970s Harlan has been the bad boy/ amazing dude of SciFi, or as Wikipedia says "speculative fiction". "Harlan Jay Ellison (born May 27, 1934) is an American writer. His principal genre is speculative fiction."His published works include over 1,000 short stories, novellas, screenplays,teleplays, essays, a wide range of criticism covering literature, film,television, and print media. He was editor and anthologist for two ground-breaking science fiction anthologies, Dangerous Visions and Again, Dangerous Visions. Ellison has won numerous awards - more awards for imaginative literature than any other living author - including multiple Hugos,Nebulas and Edgars." |
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I just discovered the Editor, and my former bosslady,
Edymay, used the picture of my Mom, Linda and me, on
the blog page for the website, along with a quote from
my short story that goes with the picture. |
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Polymer Clay Creative Traditions: What I like best about this polymer clay book is how it shows other creative traditions that inspire clayers: fabric, glass, paper, stone and more. It's not "just another" polymer clay book. I'm mentioned on page 121, my 15 femtoseconds of fame. |
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Five books that have been keeping me company while I convalesce. They are inspiring me on future projects with miniatures and polymer clay that are a bit of mini scenes and a bit of modern art. |
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05-15-03: The Matrix Books and What's the Big Deal? Links go to the Biz site archive. I have to buy these books again. They were lent out and didn't come back. |
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Tokyo Style | ||||
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Home
Monthly Highlights Since 8/2003 |
The official Clay vendor for |
ComboTutes:
New and old stuff First Three Years - Biz-Archive NJ Archive 1997-1999 |
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06-18-06: Father's Day Book Shuffle